Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-13
TRAINING DOMESTICS.
A CHAT ON rhe SUBJECT WITH MISS
JULIET coRSON.

A New Business for Women Gsining
Foethold In New rork-v.rious Al
teopts to Solve the DoDestic ProbIaan.
Systematic Training Of Servants.
There is Q new business for women
which is just gaining foothold in New
York II is that Of teacher of domestic
servants.
She Of the kitchen has SO far repented
Of her deficiencies or become 50 far aware
of the better pay and better household po-
sitions to be secured by remedying them
that IL has become an occupation which
already supports a number Of capable
women Of some executive ability 70 go
about from house to house and In the
kitchens OF the mistresses or in the girls
homes, or in rooms especially fitted up
for that purpose, to give practical lessons
in cookery and other household arts.
Girls who have not come under this
form Of instruction, in cases where they
can raise the money 10 pay for IL, are be-
ginning to 20 to the hotel chefs and pick
up culinary wrinkles at So much the
wrinkle from them. There is no doubt
that certain proportion Of the more in
telligent Of the kitchen queens have
thoroughly walked up to the fact that
better order of domestic service is called
for and will he paid for il obtained.
called upon Miss Juliet Corson, the
pioneer of the cooking schools, in her
rooms at the Continental hotel. 10 inquire
into the truth OF report Of a training
school for servants on large scale to be
established in New York under her charge
and under the auspices Of Secretary Whit
ney's wife. Miss Corson is not in good
health, and has many ingenious contri-
vances for carrying on her literary work
without rising from the couch on which
she spends much Of her time
1T is not true" she said, ssthat any de-
finite arraneements have been made. or
that Mrs. Whitney has been in communi-
cation with me at all upon the subject. |
do not know OF anything definite enough
to he called Il plan on foot in the city. At
the same time things are ripe for just such
a project il money enough could be raised
to start it on such a scale as To give ii any
real influence in the city, and if the thing
were In tie hands Of responsible people
practical enough to know just what to do
If such school were established
asked, docs your experience lead you TO
believe that the right kind of girls would
go into il (, Is not the position of domestic
servant held in such disrepute that it
would be hard to find the intelligent and
self respecting girl, who ought to have
charge of the domestic economy of the
kitchen. who would care to lit herself for
any such place as profession
THAT trouble would have been felt
few years ago" Miss Corson said, ''and
has interfered with some attempts of the
sort. but things are beginning to be diff
ferent how. Anarchy in the kitchen has
produced such q weeping and wailinS
the land that 1t has penetrated
the ears OF seryantdom, and the girls
know that it is to the interest
Of their pocketbooks 10 do better"
''WQuid American girls go into train
ing scfF'ol for servants - / asked.
Not many, probably. Some would be
glad of = chance TO fit themselves for posi-
lions as supervising or working honse-
keepers, places which pay better than
many things which well educated and in
telligent women do"
1T would surprise You to know" Miss
Corson went on, "how many girls there
are who are only waiting for a chance to
DO taught. l have come across numbers
II them who are ready to give their time |
and their money to learn how to perform |
heir duties better, not from any pricking |
,f conscience, but because they know it |
would pay them in the end. The constant |
agitation Of the subject has produced tina:
much effect at least"
The domestic problem is a pcrp!exinS |
,ne, and there have been diverse attempts
It solution in New York. Several at |
empts at systematic training Of servants |
nave been made, one Of the most notable |
iating from 1873, when a cooking school |
md an industrial training establishment |
the outgrowth OF the financial panic |
which drove many women To depend on |
for bread and butter-was es-
ablished and did good work for some
ime. A similar institution was opened in
SSS, but fell through largely because |
many OF the girls admitted We're too
'oung to take positions in families
The Industrial Education association.
n which Miss Grace II. Dodge,
he school COMMISSIONER, Is so largely |
has cooking classes OF which |
Miss Alice Burns Is principal, but the pu-
ills are for the most part school children, !
md the same is the case with the New
fork Cooking school in Lafayette place.
start has been made by the board OF
toward Introducing cooking aS
! study in the girls grammar schools,
'ut the arrangement Is not likely To 90
ntO practical operation for some time.
n point of fact the lately landed" just
et ashore at Castle Garden has few
,l.Ices open TO her In which she could |
earn Ia preside over the family digestion
( she wished. All attempts toprecipitate
domestic revolution IN the right direc-